History of the Project in the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River
2 min readIn 1918，Mr.Sun Yat-Sen suggested，in his book Strategy for State，Part II：Industrial Plans，a scheme to“improve the upstream from here”，that is，“a dam should be set here to let ships go downstream and use the water resource as power.”
In May 1945，Dr.John Lucian Savage，a famous American expert in dam construction arrived in Three Gorges and put forward his Preliminary Report on Development Plans of Three Gorges.
In Feb 1982，Qian Zhengying communicated the instructions from the central government that TGP be listed in the recent national plan.And on 24，Nov，Deng Xiaoping，the former leader of China talked of the future Three Gorges Project in a meeting that“I myself prefer to the lower dam scheme.Be determined once be assured，do not hesitate”.
On 3 January 1993，the State Council TGP Construction Committee was founded. which would include an executive office，a migrant relocation development bureau and the future China Yangtze Three Gorges Development Corporation（CTGPC）.
On 2April 1993，the State Council TGP Construction Committee defined the project management system and financing sources and approved the Regulations for TGP Migrant Relocation at the first meeting.
On 29 July 1993，the State Council TGP Construction Committee approved the Report of Preliminary Design of the Three Gorges Project forwarded by Changjiang Water Resource Commission the second committee meeting，which indicates the project entered into the overall preparation stage for construction.
On 27 Sept 1993，China Yangtze Three Gorges Development Corporation（CTGPC）was，under the authorization of the State Council，founded in Yichang，Hubei province.
On 14Dec 1994，the Three Gorges project was officially started.
On 8 Nov 1997，the river close-off succeeded，which indicates the construction target of phase I was completed.
On 6 Nov 2002，the close-off of diversion channel succeeded.
On 1 st June 2003，the reservoir began its storage，the water reached at 135m on 10June and at 139m on 5 November.
On 16June 2003，the trial navigation of ship lock succeeded.On 18 June 2003，the ship lock started to be open to all sorts of ships.
On 10 July 2003，the first generator unit began generating and connected to power grid.
On 8 July 2004，the double-way and five-step ship lock passed acceptance by an official group（water level between 135~139m）.
On 25 April 2004，the 12th generator unit began generating.Til1 30 June 2005，Three Gorges power plant produced totally 68.1 billion kw·h，which wields a powerful function to relieve the pressure of national electricity gap，and a big promotion to the shape of national interconnection with trans-regional transmission.
